Cornering lamp system for vehicle

Abstract

A cornering lamp system for a vehicle which changes direction of the headlamps in conjunction with the operation of the vehicle's steering mechanism. The headlamps are moved in discrete steps by use of a stepper motor. The headlamps move in the direction which the vehicle is turning, and the headlamp closest to the center of rotation moves prior to the headlamp further from the center of rotation. A delay circuit causes the headlamps to move a predetermined period of time after the direction of the steering wheel is changed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cornering lamp system in conjunction with a steering mechanism of a vehicle comprising: lighting means having a least a first and a second headlight; means for changing the direction of a irradiation beam of light transmitted from said lighting means in a stepwise manner in accordance with said steering mechanism;   variable phase timing means for moving one of said headlights prior to moving the other headlight when said steering mechanism is operated;   delay means for operating to provide a stepwise change of direction of said lighting means to occur out of phase with a change of direction of said steering mechanism.   
     
     
       2. A cornering lamp system for a vehicle as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises means for indicating the turning direction of said vheicle; and means for continuously fixing the direction of transmission of said lighting means at a predetermined angular position on the side of the vehicle toward the direction indicated during the time when said turning direction indication means operates.   
     
     
       3. A cornering lamp system as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises means for operating to provide a swing angle of the irradiation direction of said lighting means to be greater than said steering angle. 
     
     
       4. A cornering lamp system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for changing said irradiation direction stepwise comprises means for generating a signal indicative of a steering angle, processing circuit means responsive to said steering angle signal to output a signal of a first logical value from one of a plurality of output terminals and to output a signal of a logical value opposite to said first logical value from the other output terminals to shift one by one the output terminal from which said signal of said first logical value is output in accordance with an increase and a decrease of said steering angle, contacts connected to said respective output terminals of said processing circuit means, said contacts being arranged in the form of circle, a rotation circular plate having a conductor slidably contacting said contacts and arranged in the form of ring such that said conductor is divided into conductor segments by at least two gaps, and a motor of which both terminals connected to said two conductor segments having said gaps therebetween through relay circuits, respectively, whereby when power is supplied to said motor via contacts of said respective relay circuits, said motor intermittently rotates said rotation circular plate. 
     
     
       5. A cornering lamp system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for changing said irradiation direction stepwise comprises means for generating a signal indicative of a steering angle, processing circuit means responsive to said steering angle signal to output a signal of a first logical value from one of a plurality of output terminals and to output a signal of a logical value opposite to said first logical value from the other output terminals to shift one by one the output terminal from which said signal of said first logical value is output in accordance with an increase and a decrease of said steering angle, contacts connected to said respective output terminals of said processing circuit means, said contacts being arranged in the form of circle, a rotation circular plate having a conductor slidably in contact with said contacts and arranged in the form of ring in a manner that said conductor is divided into conductor segments by at least two gaps, and a motor of which both terminals connected to said two conductor segments having said gaps therebetween through relay circuits, respectively, whereby when power is supplied to said motor via contacts of said respective relay circuits, said motor intermittently rotates said rotation circular plate, said irradiation direction fixing means being provided with a logic circuit responsive to an output signal of said direction indication means to control an output signal pattern of said processing circuit means. 
     
     
       6. A cornering lamp system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said logic circuit is included in said processing circuit means. 
     
     
       7. A cornering lamp system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for changing said irradiation direction stepwise comprises a circuit for generating a signal which takes two voltage values by turns in accordance with said steering angle signal, counter mean for counting said signal from said circuit, decoder means for decoding an output signal from said counter means to output a signal of a first logical value from one of a predetermined number of output terminals and to output a signal of a second logical value opposite to said first logical value from the other output terminals, and means for rotating said lighting means stepwise in accordance with an output signal pattern from said decoder means, said variable timing advance means being provided with means to modify an output signal mode of said decoder means in accordance with an output signal mode of said counter means. 
     
     
       8. A corner lamp system for a vehicle according to claim 1 wherein said light means comprises a main reflector and a sub-reflector which is rotatable. 
     
     
       9. A cornering lamp system for a vehicle according to claim 2 wherein said light means comprises a main reflector and a sub-reflector which is rotatable. 
     
     
       10. A cornering lamp system for a vehicle according to claim 3 wherein said light means comprises a main reflector and a sub-reflector which is rotatable. 
     
     
       11. A cornering lamp system for a vehicle according to claim 4 wherein said light means comprises a main reflector and a sub-reflector which is rotatable. 
     
     
       12. A cornering lamp system for a vehicle according to claim 5 wherein said light means comprises a main reflector and a sub-reflector which is rotatable. 
     
     
       13. A cornering lamp system for a vehicle according to claim 6 wherein said light means comprises a main reflector and a sub-reflector which is rotatable. 
     
     
       14. A cornering lamp system for a vehicle according to claim 7 wherein said light means comprises a main reflector and a sub-reflector which is rotatable. 
     
     
       15. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said first headlight moves in a first direction prior to said second headlight when said vehicle is turned in said first direction and wherein said second headlight moves in a second direction prior to sid first headlight when said vehicle is turned in said second direction.